# 1899 Swiss federal election

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 26 October 1899. The Free Democratic Party retained its majority in the National Council.

## Electoral system

The 147 members of the National Council were elected in 52 single- and multi-member constituencies using a three-round system. Candidates had to receive a majority in the first or second round to be elected; if it went to a third round, only a plurality was required. Voters could cast as many votes as there were seats in their constituency. There was one seat for every 20,000 citizens, with seats allocated to cantons in proportion to their population.

## Results

Voter turnout was highest in Schaffhausen (where voting was compulsory) at 86.4% and lowest in Obwalden at 21.3%.
| | Free Democratic Party | 183,216 | 49.69 | 84 | –2 |
| | Catholic People's Party | 76,845 | 20.84 | 32 | +2 |
| | Liberal Centre | 51,764 | 14.04 | 20 | –3 |
| | Social Democratic Party | 35,488 | 9.62 | 4 | +3 |
| | Democratic Group | 18,003 | 4.88 | 7 | 0 |
| | Others | 3,409 | 0.92 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 368,725 | 100.00 | 147 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 368,725 | 91.78 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 33,025 | 8.22 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 401,750 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 737,696 | 54.46 | | |
| Source: Mackie & Rose, BFS (seats) ||||||

### By constituency

| Constituency | Seats | Party | Seats won | Elected members |
| Zürich 1 | 6 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Johann Jakob Amsler Emil Zürcher Ulrich Meister Jr. |
| Zürich 1 | 6 | Liberal Centre | 2 | Hans Konrad Pestalozzi Konrad Cramer |
| Zürich 1 | 6 | Social Democratic Party | 1 | Jakob Vogelsanger |
| Zürich 2 | 4 | Liberal Centre | 3 | Johann Jakob Abegg Heinrich Berchtold Johann Rudolf Amsler |
| Zürich 2 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Heinrich Hess |
| Zürich 3 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Rudolf Geilinger Emil Stadler Sr. Ludwig Forrer |
| Zürich 3 | 4 | Democratic Group | 1 | Albert Kündig |
| Zürich 4 | 3 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Heinrich Steinemann |
| Zürich 4 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Heinrich Kern |
| Zürich 4 | 3 | Democratic Group | 1 | Johann Konrad Hörni |
| Bern 5 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 5 | Matthäus Zurbuchen Arnold Gottlieb Bühler Eduard Ruchti Johann Jakob Rebmann Franz Neuhaus |
| Bern 6 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Johann Hirter Johann Jenny Friedrich Bürgi |
| Bern 6 | 5 | Liberal Centre | 2 | Edmund von Steiger Ernst Wyss |
| Bern 7 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Adolf Müller Fritz Bühlmann Fritz Zumstein Gottlieb Berger |
| Bern 8 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Hans Dinkelmann Emil Moser Johann Rudolf Steinhauer Gottfried Bangerter |
| Bern 9 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Eduard Bähler Jakob Freiburghaus Johannes Zimmermann Eduard Will |
| Bern 10 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Virgile Rossel Albert Gobat Albert Locher |
| Bern 11 | 2 | Catholic Right | 1 | Casimir Folletête |
| Bern 11 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Henri Cuenat |
| Lucerne 12 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Friedrich Degen Hermann Heller |
| Lucerne 13 | 3 | Catholic Right | 3 | Candid Hochstrasser Theodor Schmid Josef Erni |
| Lucerne 14 | 2 | Catholic Right | 2 | Josef Anton Schobinger Dominik Fellmann |
| Uri 15 | 1 | Catholic Right | 1 | Franz Schmid |
| Schwyz 16 | 3 | Catholic Right | 3 | Vital Schwander Sr. Josef Anton Ferdinand Büeler Nikolaus Benziger |
| Obwalden 17 | 1 | Catholic Right | 1 | Peter Anton Ming |
| Nidwalden 18 | 1 | Catholic Right | 1 | Karl Niederberger |
| Glarus 19 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Rudolf Gallati |
| Glarus 19 | 2 | Democratic Group | 1 | Eduard Blumer |
| Zug 20 | 1 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Klemens Iten |
| Fribourg 21 | 2 | Catholic Right | 1 | Henri Schaller |
| Fribourg 21 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Constant Dinichert |
| Fribourg 22 | 2 | Catholic Right | 2 | Vincent Gottofrey Aloys Bossy |
| Fribourg 23 | 2 | Catholic Right | 2 | Louis Grand Alphonse Théraulaz |
| Solothurn 24 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Wilhelm Vigier Albert Brosi Joseph Gisi |
| Solothurn 24 | 4 | Catholic Right | 1 | Franz Josef Hänggi |
| Basel-Stadt 25 | 4 | Liberal Centre | 2 | Carl Koechlin Isaak Iselin-Sarasin |
| Basel-Stadt 25 | 4 | Social Democratic Party | 1 | Eugen Wullschleger |
| Basel-Stadt 25 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Heinrich David |
| Basel-Landschaft 26 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Jakob Buser Johannes Suter |
| Basel-Landschaft 26 | 3 | Bauern- und Arbeiterbund | 1 | Stephan Gschwind |
| Schaffhausen 27 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Robert Grieshaber Wilhelm Joos |
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden 28 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Johann Konrad Eisenhut Johann Jakob Sonderegger Jakob Konrad Lutz |
| Appenzell Innerhoden 29 | 1 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Karl Justin Sonderegger |
| St. Gallen 30 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Karl Emil Wild |
| St. Gallen 30 | 2 | Democratic Group | 1 | J. A. Scherrer-Füllemann |
| St. Gallen 31 | 2 | Catholic Right | 2 | Johann Gebhard Lutz Johann Jakob Gächter |
| St. Gallen 32 | 2 | Catholic Right | 2 | Johann Baptist Schubiger Ferdinand Hidber |
| St. Gallen 33 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Johann Georg Berlinger Carl Hilty |
| St. Gallen 33 | 3 | Democratic Group | 1 | Carl Theodor Curti |
| St. Gallen 34 | 2 | Catholic Right | 2 | Johann Joseph Keel Othmar Staub |
| Grisons 35 | 2 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Peter Theophil Bühler |
| Grisons 35 | 2 | Democratic Group | 1 | Matthäus Risch |
| Grisons 36 | 2 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Alfred von Planta |
| Grisons 36 | 2 | Catholic Right | 1 | Caspar Decurtins |
| Grisons 37 | 1 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Andrea Vital |
| Aargau 38 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Arnold Künzli Erwin Kurz Jakob Lüthy |
| Aargau 39 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Olivier Zschokke Max Alphonse Erismann Hans Müri |
| Aargau 40 | 1 | Catholic Right | 1 | Jakob Nietlispach |
| Aargau 41 | 3 | Liberal Centre | 2 | Emil Albert Baldinger Albert Ursprung |
| Aargau 41 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Josef Jäger |
| Thurgau 42 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Johann Konrad Egloff Jr. Karl Alfred Fehr Adolf Germann Carl Eigenmann |
| Thurgau 42 | 5 | Democratic Group | 1 | Emil Hofmann |
| Ticino 43 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Romeo Manzoni Achille Borella |
| Ticino 44 | 4 | Catholic Right | 2 | Giovanni Lurati Giuseppe Motta |
| Ticino 44 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Filippo Rusconi Alfredo Pioda |
| Vaud 45 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Charles-Eugène Fonjallaz Émile Gaudard Isaac Oyex |
| Vaud 45 | 5 | Liberal Centre | 2 | Alois de Meuron Édouard Secretan |
| Vaud 46 | 4 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Jean Cavat Adolphe Jordan Émile Paillard Camille Decoppet |
| Vaud 47 | 3 | Free Democratic Party | 2 | Adrien Thélin Juste Lagier |
| Vaud 47 | 3 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Louis-Charles Delarageaz |
| Valais 48 | 2 | Catholic Right | 2 | Gustav Loretan Alfred Perrig |
| Valais 49 | 1 | Catholic Right | 1 | Joseph Kuntschen Sr. |
| Valais 50 | 2 | Catholic Right | 1 | Henri Bioley |
| Valais 50 | 2 | Free Democratic Party | 1 | Camille Défayes |
| Neuchâtel 51 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 4 | Robert Comtesse Louis-Alexandre Martin Alfred Jeanhenry Jules-Albert Piguet |
| Neuchâtel 51 | 5 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Jules Calame |
| Geneva 52 | 5 | Free Democratic Party | 3 | Alfred Vincent Marc-Eugène Ritzchel Georges Favon |
| Geneva 52 | 5 | Liberal Centre | 1 | Gustave Ador |
| Geneva 52 | 5 | Social Democratic Party | 1 | Alexandre Triquet |
| Source: Gruner ||||||